The TwentyFour Months Before
by Angelamermaid
Summary: Exploring Cristina and Owen's journey to parenthood, one month at a time. This is an expansion of the last two vignettes of "Six Times That Owen Says Thank You to Cristina". Most of this is Teen, but there will be Mature content.
1. Chapter 1

Owen and Cristina are both free for a weekend, the first two days off together since November. They wake up Saturday morning, tangled in the sheets and around each other. The phone rings.

"Hi Mer."

"It's Derek, Cristina. Listen, I hate to bother you, but Meredith just slipped on the ice outside, she broke her ankle and it's messed up. The ambulance is on its way. Can you come over and watch Robbie?"

"You want me to – babysit?"

Owen raises his eyebrows in amusement. Cristina covers the receiver and says "Meredith slipped on some ice and broke her ankle and Derek wants me to come over."

Owen grabs the phone and says, "We'll be right there."

**

In the car, Cristina says, "I hope they don't think we're going to do this on a regular basis. And why would they call me? I don't know what to do with babies. And they poop! He's not potty-trained yet!"

Owen smiles as he turns a corner. "Derek called you because of this 'person' thing. And you are a doctor, you won't _kill_ Robbie. You're thinking about this the wrong way. I grew up in a big family, remember? I've seen baby poo and it didn't kill me. This won't kill you."

Cristina sighs. "I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while."

He touches her hand lightly. "It might be fun, you know. From what I've seen, Robbie's a cute kid."

"He poops."

**

Derek returns home that evening. Cristina is in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. "How's Meredith?"

"They're keeping her overnight. It was a bad break and Callie thinks she will need more surgery tomorrow. How's Robbie?"

Cristina waves towards the living room. "He's fine. See for yourself."

Derek looks into the living room. Owen is snoozing on the couch, his arms protectively curled around Robbie, who sleeps on his chest. Toys litter the floor.

Derek smiles in surprise and thinks that he has never seen Owen Hunt look so relaxed.

"He's in good hands."


	2. Month 23

**The 23****rd**** Month Before – February**

Derek and Owen are in the living room, putting together a wooden train set while Robbie tries to help. Cristina and Meredith sit in the kitchen and gab.

"I like these play dates that the guys are having," Meredith smiles.

"It is good that they're bonding," Cristina sighs. "I thought Owen might never have friends that weren't in the Army."

"He's a good man. And Robbie adores him!"

"He _is_ adorable." Cristina acknowledges with a soft smile.

"Can you refill my cup?"

"Sure." Cristina refreshes Meredith's coffee, then walks to the living room and checks on the guys. Robbie is on Owen's lap, giggling and shrieking while being expertly tickled.

_I want to have that man's child_, Cristina thinks. And then shudders. _Where did that come from?_


	3. Month 22

**The 22****nd**** Month Before – March**

Cristina and Meredith have lunch together in the cafeteria.

"Thanks again for watching Robbie so we could go away for the weekend."

"Thank Owen, he did all the work." Cristina puts down her hot dog and sighs dramatically. Meredith braces herself.

"Mer, I have a problem."

"Go on."

"Every time I see Owen with Robbie, my uterus throbs. It's not supposed to do that."

"Why, Cristina!"

She scowls. "This is not me. I don't do warm and fuzzy."

"Have you talked with Owen about this?"

"No." Cristina sighs. "If I wanted to have a baby, he'd support me. If I didn't want to have a baby, he'd support me. We don't have to talk about this, I just know it."

She takes a deep breath. "He knows about before, about what happened and my busted fallopian tube. He never, ever, says anything about children, and when my mother starts hinting, he changes the subject. He knows I do not gravitate towards children, that I think they're noisy and messy, and I _am_ rather dedicated to my career. But lately I see him with Robbie – who isn't that noisy or messy, by the way - or I see him with kids in the Pit, and my heart just melts. That man needs a child, damn it."

Meredith smiles. She knows that being with Owen has softened and transformed Cristina. It's always a pleasant surprise to discover how deep the changes have gone.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'm not used to having a melting heart and throbbing uterus."


	4. Month 21

**The 21****st**** Month Before - April**

Cristina is getting ready for bed. Her teeth are brushed and her face is washed. She opens the medicine cabinet and reaches for her package of birth control pills.

She holds the package. And thinks. She looks toward the bedroom, where Owen is waiting. She looks at the package.

She is a doctor. She knows that pregnancy can be brutal. Morning sickness and heartburn and back pain and hemorrhoids. Lots of strangers wanting to touch your belly. Baby showers. She _hates_ baby showers with their stupid balloons and ribbons. She has a _career_ that she is passionate about.

She thinks about how damn good she has it with Owen, about how he puts up with all of her crap with very little complaining, about how he understands and accepts her, he has _gotten_ her from the time she thought suturing his leg shut was hot. They can have whole conversations using just their eyes, words are not necessary. He thinks she's beautiful and he has the sexiest smile and blue eyes and a ticklish beard that she loves, and oh, does he know how to kiss. They've brought out the best in each other.

All he has ever asked is that she let him in from time to time. She doesn't have to ask if he'd like to have a child, she knows that he would. She would really like to be able to surprise him one day, show him a positive pregnancy test, and watch his face light up. She would really, really like that, and if she wants that to happen, she is the one who is going to have to get pregnant. If she can.

She does not open the package. She puts it back into the cabinet, closes the door, and goes into the bedroom.


	5. Month 20

**The 20****th**** Month Before - May**

"Sex again?" Owen mock grumbles, as Cristina licks his neck and nudges him towards the bed.

"It's that new shirt you're wearing, drives me crazy." She shoves him onto the bed and yanks off her sweater.

"What new shirt? I've had this thing for years." He raises his hips so she can pull off his jeans.

"And it works on you. It really, really works." Her own jeans are off now.

"Why thank you. But what is with you these days? You're stripping me naked every time you see me." He props himself up on his elbows and grins at her curiously.

She purses her lips and glares, as she whips off her panties. "Seriously? You have a problem with this?"

"Shutting up now."

"Good."


	6. Month 19

**The 19****th**** Month Before - June**

Through a window, Meredith and Cristina watch the guys in the Shepherds' back yard. "Look at them. Planning a tree house a couple of years in advance."

Cristina smiles and shakes her head. She watches Robbie toddle up to Owen and raise his arms, asking to be picked up.

"So," Meredith begins cautiously. "How is Operation McBaby coming along?"

"Stop calling it that."

"But it's cute!"

"I don't do cute," Cristina snaps, then she sighs. "Last week was prime conception time, but nothing."

"Well, these things don't usually happen right away."

"They did for you."

"We got lucky." She watches Cristina watching Owen. "He really is good with kids. God wants that man to be a father, and so he will be. I can tell."

"How does Owen know that? How does he know exactly how high he can toss him like that and not make him throw up?"

"You said he has younger brothers, right? I bet he was a great older brother. His mother trained him right."

"I just know that right here, right now, I want to strip him naked and make a baby."

"Please don't do that in front of Robbie."

Cristina bursts out laughing, breaking the tension. "But – but it's okay to do it in front of you and Derek?"

"You are both very hot. But no, we don't need to see that either."


	7. Month 18

**The 18****th**** Month Before - July**

When they work different shifts, they try to greet each other when they arrive at the hospital. Owen walks to the cardio unit and sees Cristina scaring some interns with a particularly fearsome expression. Since he's early, he makes the "Coffee?" signal and she nods to him.

**

"Bad morning?"

"The usual stupid questions and red tape."

"Wanna meet me on the roof later?"

"I got my period this morning."

He laughs. "We don't _have_ to –" He stops chuckling as her scowl deepens. "What?"

She seems to shake herself out of her thoughts. "It's nothing. It's a bad morning. That's all. I could use some making out on the roof later though. Something to look forward to. Thank you."

He gently massages the hand that isn't holding a cup. He knows there's more, but Cristina will tell him about it when she's ready. Like good Scotch, she takes time.


	8. Month 17

**The 17****th**** Month Before - August**

After Owen leaves for work, Cristina rolls out of bed. She opens her sock drawer and pulls out the charts and basal thermometer she's been hiding. She takes her temperature and notes it on a piece of paper.

She mutters "Stupid fallopian tube" and shoves everything back underneath the socks, then tries to find two that match.


	9. Month 16

**The 16****th**** Month Before – September**

"You made it into work today," Cristina observes, as Meredith joins her for lunch. "I've missed you."

"Mmm-hmmm", Meredith nods.

"You look pale, you sure you should be here?"

Meredith says nothing and opens a ketchup packet.

"Mer, c'mon, talk to me."

Meredith draws in a breath and reaches out for Cristina's hands. She looks her in the eyes, and says, almost apologetically. "I'm pregnant. It – it just happened. I'm sorry if this upsets you because you've been trying, but you had to know sooner or later."

Cristina squeezes her friend's hands quickly, then releases them. "We're good."

"You're sure?"

"C'mon Mer, I'm your person. I'm happy for you." Meredith notices that Cristina is paying particularly close attention to her hamburger. She says nothing.

**

Cristina gets a text message from Owen. "VENT?" She replies "PLS".

**

"How did you know that I needed this?" Cristina gasps as Owen's hands explore her breasts and her hair flies in the gusts.

"Meredith came up to me and said, 'I don't know where it is the two of you go that makes you giggle like teenagers, but you need to take her there now. And don't ask questions.'"

Cristina sighs happily. "She's my person."


	10. Month 15

**The 15****th**** Month Before - October**

He finds her sitting on the bathroom floor, surrounded by charts and holding a pregnancy test, with tears in her eyes.

"Cristina – what is going on?"

"It's negative, damn it," she mutters. She doesn't care that her surprise is ruined. Nothing is working.

Owen exhales softly as he crouches down next to her and looks at the papers scattered on the floor, including a calendar. He looks at the stick in her hand. "You're – you're trying to get pregnant?"

She nods sadly, unable to look at him. "Every time I see you playing with Robbie, I think about what a good father you would be. I want to see you with your own children."

He silently strokes her hair.

"I've been trying to get pregnant for six months. I've been tracking my temperature and ovulation cycles and nothing is happening. My stupid fallopian –" she falters.

He pulls her into an embrace. He knows about the ectopic pregnancy in her before. That's why he's never brought up the topic of children.

"I didn't realize until now how much I want a baby for myself too," she mumbles against his chest.

He tilts her face towards his and wipes away her tears. "Thank you for doing this," he whispers. "We'll keep trying."


	11. Month 14

**The 14****th**** Month Before - November**

They try. A lot.


	12. Month 13

**The 13****th**** Month Before - December**

Cristina comes into their apartment at 10:30 pm. She sees Owen and Robbie sitting on the couch, watching one of Owen's train DVDs. "He's still up?"

"He couldn't sleep." Owen tucks a blanket around Robbie and says "We're going to go into the other room and talk. Yell if you need us." Robbie nods, his attention on the TV. Cristina leans over and ruffles Robbie's hair before following Owen.

Owen shuts the bedroom door as Cristina lies down on the bed with a huff. He lies down next to her and wraps her arms around her and strokes her hair. "How is Meredith?"

"Devastated. Physically, she is not in any danger. Derek asked if we could keep Robbie for the night and I said yes."

"How are you?"

Cristina bites her lower lip. "I feel awful. I really was happy for her, for them. When she told me she was pregnant, I was a little jealous, yes, but I got over it quickly. Just because we're not getting anywhere doesn't mean they can't be happy. Now none of us are happy."

They lie there in silence before Cristina speaks softly. "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

She sighs and snuggles closer. "When they found out it was going to be a girl, I bought this dress I saw in a store. A pink, frilly dress. I don't do pink or frilly, but this dress called out to me and made me buy it. Can you return it for me? I can't go back to the store, I really, really can't."

"I'll do it."


	13. Month 12

**The 12****th**** Month Before - January**

"Why don't you want to do this? Why don't you want us to get checked out?" Cristina is shocked at how stubborn Owen is being.

"What's wrong with continuing to try the old-fashioned way? You said you only started trying in April."

"Because the old-fashioned way is not getting me pregnant, that's why. It's time for medicine!"

"I don't want to do it this soon and that's that."

"I just want to get some testing done and see if it's more than the tube. I'm sure the problem is with me, not you."

He stares at her. And then his shoulders slump and he sits down. "Fine. You win. You get checked out and I'll get my boys tested."

"Oh don't do it just to make me happy."

He pulls her onto his lap. "I just – I just don't want to bring cups and petri dishes and microscopes and ultrasounds into it. That's clinical and sterile and I see that all the time at work. And I'm tired of looking at your charts and calendar. Making a baby should be fun. I like making you gasp when I touch you in just the right spot, and how you clench around me –"

"Quit trying to change the subject," she mutters, snuggling against him. "We have to be realistic. We may have to do IVF or adopt."

"But I _like_ the subject I'm trying to change to," he murmurs against her ear. "I could study it all night long."

"There could be something else. Hostile uterine environment, PCOS, hormonal imbalances, maybe both tubes are busted." She pauses. "I said, quit trying to change the subject."

"I_ don't_ want to jerk off into a cup," he grumbles, removing his hands from her body.

"Well, I'll get checked out first then," she suggests. "See, I can compromise. This is me, compromising."

He smiles and resumes exploring her body. "Could you put the charts away where I can't see them?"

"Sure, I'll bury them somewhere deep and hidden."

"Like your closet?"

"Oh be quiet." She looks at him closely. "This old-fashioned stuff – I hope you don't expect me to do natural childbirth and refuse drugs. Because I'm going to want an epidural and the good drugs."

"Oh, I'll want you to have the good drugs too."

"Good – hey!"


	14. Month 11

**The 11****th**** Month Before - February**

They meet in an empty exam room. Owen closes the blinds so nobody can see how upset Cristina is.

"FINE! She said I was _fine_ and there is no reason that I can't conceive eventually. She must not have run enough tests!"

He puts his hands on her shoulders. "My turn then. But you're coming with me."

"You don't have to. I know it's me."

He tilts her head and makes her look at him. "I'll do it. Maybe I got exposed to something over there. Let's make sure my boys are on duty, and if they are, then we'll talk about what to do next."

"I thought you hate the idea of a cup and a microscope."

"I hate seeing you get so worked up over this more. You know, the nurses were telling me that once you stop trying, you're more likely to get pregnant. You should stop seeing doctors, I mean as a patient, and just relax and have fun trying."

"I don't know how to relax."

"I know. We can work on that too."


	15. Month 10

**The 10****th**** Month Before - March**

Cristina comes home from work. She laughs to see the table set with candles, the good china her mother gave her as a housewarming gift years ago, and a box of steaming pizza and bottles of beer. "Did I forget an anniversary?"

Owen comes out of the bathroom, drying his hands. "I thought we could have a date night."

"What did you have in mind?"

He wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her. "Well, pizza and beer and we could make out on the couch and watch a movie?"

"Can we watch _The Great Escape_ again?"

"We can _always_ watch _The Great Escape_."

"Mmmm, Steve McQueen on a motorcycle. I'm in."

**

They're deep into the movie, when Cristina suddenly sits up straight. "Owen!"

"What? We're just getting to the 4th of July!"

She grabs the remote and pauses the movie. "You were supposed to get your test results today. Did you?"

He nods sheepishly. "I have a very healthy sperm count and good motility. There is no reason why I can't – oh, Cristina. Don't."

She leans against him. "Why shouldn't I be sad? It _is_ me."

"You don't know that. You just assume the worst, and that is why I didn't want to tell you. I still think that you think about it too much, and you need to relax."

"So is this date night supposed to distract me?"

"This date night is supposed to _relax_ you. I know _I'm_ not the most relaxed person, I'm no Mark Sloane, but I think that I am less tightly wound than you these days."

She purses her lips. "I bet I could out-relax you if I tried."

"Can not."

"Can too."

"Prove it."

"I will!" She picks up the remote and starts the movie again, then snuggles against him.

"Thank you for not being a Mark Sloane, by the way."

"You're welcome. I'd look stupid with highlights."


	16. Month 9

**The 9****th**** Month Before - April**

Cristina finds Owen sitting on the vent, head down. She sits down next to him.

"I heard about the soldier that was brought in. Was he someone you knew?"

He shakes his head and stares at the vent.

She reaches for his face, intending to rub his temples in that way that always soothes him. To her surprise, he pulls away from her touch.

"Owen?"

"It's not you."

"Was it seeing someone in uniform? Did that make you flash back?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Another gust comes up. She loosens her hair and lets her black curls fly up.

"Owen, I love you, and I want to help you."

"I love you too, but I – I just can't."

"Is the vent helping?"

He shakes his head.

She removes her lab jacket, since the steam is warm. She observes him. He's withdrawn into himself, deep, like in the early days. Where she can't touch him. She nibbles her lower lip and thinks. When the next gust appears, she pulls off her baggy shirt in one quick gesture and lets the wind blow it up and away.

"That's not going to help, Cristina."

"You know, we make out here all the time, but we've never actually had sex on the vent."

"So?"

"Oh, another breeze." She deftly unhooks her bra and removes it. "It blew my bra off! See?"

"What the _hell_ are you doing?"

She smiles saucily at him. "You once told me that anything can happen on a vent. I want to explore that further."

"Look, the vent can be fun but this is not the time and this is a really dirty room."

"We could do it standing up."

He stares at her. "You're crazy. And this isn't helping. Put your clothes back on."

Her brown eyes issue a challenge. "You're the one who keeps telling me to relax. I don't know how to relax. I'm trying this."

"You're trying it alone."

"Okay then." His eyes widen slightly. _Gotcha_, she thinks.

She stands up and locks the door before coming back to the vent. She kicks off her shoes. Slowly, she reaches down and pulls off her socks. She lets the air blow them from her fingers. _This is a bit silly_, she thinks, _but I think it's working._ His eyes watch her every move, his face carefully passive.

She casually unties her scrub pants. She waits and lets the drawstrings fly in the next gust while she stretches. Then she slips her pants off and stretches again and turns around, letting him devour her with his eyes. For added effect, she plays with her nipples and moans when the next breeze appears. His eyes are dark with desire but he remains silent and still.

She slips her hands into her panties. His mouth falls slightly open. She runs her fingers along the waistband, as if she's about to grasp it and pull her panties down. Teasingly, she lets her fingers slide back into her panties and down between her legs. She starts to rub herself, watching Owen.

"You – you look very relaxed," Owen observes huskily.

"I am," she purrs, enjoying him watching her. This really is turning her on, and she feels powerful. Another gust comes along and she tosses her head, letting her thick hair fly up and out as much as possible. She knows what he really likes.

"Not the hair," he groans and she smirks. He leaps up and grabs her, crushing her mouth with a searing kiss. She places his hands on her breasts.

"Your kisses always make my nipples hard, see?" She gasps as his mouth moves lower. "That's a good way to see for yourself." He chuckles against her breasts.

"I feel overdressed," he says. She helps him pull off his clothes, and he insists on removing her panties, slipping his fingers into her, making her gasp in delight.

"Oh yes, you're relaxed. Hot and wet." He lightly rubs himself against her. "And you made me feel like a teenager again. You made me so hard, so quick, playing with yourself."

She runs her fingers along his length. "Oh yes. I see that for myself."

He grabs her ass and growls, "I'm going to lift you now". She throws her arms around his neck and wraps her legs around his waist as he hoists her up. She gasps and laughs as a breeze shoots up. "We should have gotten naked on the vent a long time ago."

He laughs against her ear. "Like that, do you?"

"I do!"

They pause. "I've never done it standing up without leaning on something," he confesses.

"Me neither." They giggle as another gust shoots up. "Well now what? I saw something in a porn movie in college –"

"So that's where you got those moves."

"- but I am not as gymnastic as that girl was."

"Hold tight," he mutters, shifting her up so that he can slip his fingers back into her. She adjusts her arms higher, burying her hands in his red hair, and gasps as he finds just the right spot inside. "Oh god, that's it." He continues to finger her in just the right way, and murmurs encouraging words, as his beard tickles her neck. With the thrill of trying something new, and his very expert attention, she climaxes soon and hard. As she gasps for breath, she notices that his balance seems off and says, "Perhaps – perhaps you could - put me down now."

"Thank you," he chuckles, gently lowering her so she can stand. "I guess I don't have the legs of a teenager any more." He studies her form. "Now how - maybe – maybe if you lift up your leg like this and I'll hold it, and you lean like so and I bend down … ah, that works." He thrusts into her as she wraps her arms tight around his neck and kisses him, hard. He sets a rhythm and they work on moving together, adjusting as needed. The air comes up and her hair flies out and she wraps herself tighter around his muscled body. "I just need to think of you stroking yourself," he growls in her ear and he starts to lose control of the rhythm, and she encourages him into his wild release.

She sighs as he slips out of her and releases her leg, so she can stand on her own two feet again. He holds her tight, stroking her hair. Then he laughs. "I think you've learned how to relax."


	17. Month 8

**The 8****th**** Month before – May**

Owen wakes up to the smell of coffee. He stumbles out of bed and into the kitchen and sees Cristina placing two plates on the table. "I thought you were working today."

She shrugs and smiles. "We've been on opposite shifts too long. And I'm exhausted. I thought I should relax today so I called in sick."

"Cristina, you're a naughty girl and I love you," he grins. "But I can't believe you made breakfast."

"I made coffee, peeled two oranges, and put waffles in the toaster. Ta da!"

"Looks good." He kisses her and draws her close, crushing her against his chest.

"Ow."

He pulls back and stares at her. "Ow?"

"Yes, my breasts are tender." She moves his hands to her ass. He continues staring at her. "What?"

"That's not normal."

"Well, Dr Hunt, maybe I'm getting my –" she gasps.

"What?"

She gulps. "Well, you know how I've been trying to relax?"

"Yes."

"I haven't looked at the calendar for a few weeks as a way of relaxing."

"_And?_"

"I'm going to look at the calendar now. You don't have to watch if you don't want to." She sprints to her closet. He follows her and watches as she excavates a file folder from underneath the usual mess.

She sits down on the floor and flips the calendar back and forth between March and April and May, and gasps again. "I'm late. Owen, I'm late."

"Really?" Owen sits down next to her with a hopeful smile.

"I need to take a pregnancy test."

"I'll go to the store –"

"Don't bother, I've got a stash." She lunges for the closet again, roots around, trying to ignore him laughing at her digging through her mess. She pulls out a plastic bag and heads to the bathroom. He follows her.

"Oh, you're not going to watch this," she informs him.

He scoffs. "Cristina, we've been _very_ intimate with each other, you are the messiest person in the entire universe, and yet you still get prissy about never peeing in front of me?"

"That's right." She shuts the door in his face. Then yells through it. "You can be the time keeper!"

"Yes ma'am!"

He runs back into the bedroom for his watch. She comes out of the bathroom holding the stick and says "Two minutes." He carefully notes the time. Without speaking, they sit down next to each other, backs against the bathroom door. Owen hums and bounces a little. Cristina looks at him curiously.

"What?"

"You look like a little boy on Christmas morning. You're bouncy."

"I can't help it, I'm excited. Why aren't you bouncy?"

"I don't do bouncy."

"You do when you ride me."

"I'm scared."

He slings his right arm around her shoulder, kisses her, and checks his watch. "One minute."

"This is taking forever."

"So what are we looking for? On the stick. Two blue lines, a plus sign, a little cartoon stork?"

"A plus sign. A plus sign means that it's positive."

He nods and checks his watch. Cristina buries her head in her hands. He strokes her hair and checks his watch again. He leans forward and whispers, "I know you hate to think positive, but I can do it for both of us because you've given me so much hope. You've got one fantastic tube and lots of healthy eggs and my swimmers are eager to get the job done. It just took them some time to start working together. Like us." He checks his watch again. "Time."

She draws in a breath and pulls the cap off of the stick, holding it so they can see the results at the same time.

Owen grins as he sees the plus sign. Cristina leans against him and begins to cry. He strokes her hair, and hums and takes the stick from her hand, unable to take his eyes off of it. "You're bouncy again," she mutters.

"I'm happy!" He jumps up and pulls her up and hugs her and kisses away her tears.

"I'm happy too," she finally smiles. "I'm just – wow. We're having a baby."

"How far along do you think you are?"

She thinks. Then she laughs. "The vent!"

"The vent?"

"When we did it standing up on the vent! I think that's when we conceived. Don't tell me we should have been doing it standing up all along."

He grins. She knows what he wants to say. "Don't say it, Owen. It's corny."

"Anything – say it with me, saaaaaay it."

"Anything –"

"- can happen on a vent!"


	18. Month 7

**The 7****th**** Month Before - June**

"We're shopping," Meredith says, shaking her head in surprise. "Cristina Yang has taken me to a _mall_."

"So we're trying something different," Cristina shrugs.

"If you have a brain aneurysm, I know this guy that's really good with that sort of thing."

"Ha ha!" Cristina snarks. "Ah, there we are." She heads towards Toys'R'Us.

"Oh I get it," Meredith says. "Owen is too busy to pick out Robbie's birthday present this year and you need help? Don't make that face, I know Owen buys all the presents."

Cristina smirks and walks directly to the baby section. She stops at the first crib she sees. "Is this a good one?"

Meredith stares at Cristina. "Robbie doesn't need a crib for his birthday, he already has one. He needs a big boy bed soon."

Cristina rolls her eyes. "I am not asking for Robbie. I am asking for me."

Meredith looks quizzically at Cristina, then starts to smile.

Cristina half-smiles and nods. "Operation McBaby is a success. I'm knocked up and you're the first to know. I know you're supposed to wait a bit longer before saying anything but I couldn't."

"Oh Cristina!" Meredith's eyes sparkle and she appears to not know what to do with her arms because they flail.

"You may hug me."

"Oh Cristina!"


	19. Month 6

**The 6****th**** Month Before - July**

They are walking through a park, have been for an hour.

"Let's stop and rest here," Cristina suggests, pointing to a bench with a great view of the park and the ocean.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm just a bit tired." Owen helps her sit down anyways and puts his arm around her shoulders. She smiles. "It kills Meredith that I haven't been sick once. She threw up all the time with Robbie."

Owen smiles and places a protective hand over Cristina's slightly swollen belly.

She sighs and rests her head on his shoulder. The pregnancy has almost been too perfect. She's already had one ultrasound, to confirm that this baby is in her womb where it should be. But whenever she worries out loud, Owen reminds her of the stress of getting pregnant in the first place, and her worries subside. Perhaps everything has balanced out, like he thinks it has.

"I wonder what we're having," she murmurs. "What do you want to have?"

"Doesn't matter. It will come from us, that's what I'm looking forward to."

"Good answer. Do you want to know in advance?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"I'm an old-fashioned guy," Owen says, lightly tracing a circle on her belly. "People have been having babies for centuries without knowing."

"So?"

"So it's like opening presents on Christmas Eve. You're supposed to wait for Christmas morning."

"I'm Jewish."

"So?"

"So I don't care about when you open Christmas presents. I want to know so we can tell people because they want to know what colour of onesies to buy."

Owen chuckles. "You care about onesies?"

"It's what all the women at work talk about. Onesies and nasal aspirators and nipple guards. Even Bailey is telling me about leg warmers. I thought they went out in the Eighties. And they keep asking what I'm going to have and they try to guess based on whether I'm carrying high or low. And they are driving me crazy so I want to tell them what we're having. Oh stop laughing."

"I can't help it! Cristina, you care about onesies!"

"Stop it! I do not!" She pinches his arm in warning.

"Do too."

"Do not. Forget I ever brought up the subject."

"So can we wait to find out the sex of the baby?"

"We can wait until Christmas morning."

They watch as a wedding party arrives at the green space lying before them. The bride is ordering around the photographer and everyone else with great enthusiasm.

"Look at that bridezilla," Cristina observes. "She's going to boss her husband around until the day he dies."

"He looks happy."

"Well, you know that I will never make you put on a rented tux – is that a_ paisley _waistcoat he has? – and boss you around like that."

"I know," Owen agrees amiably. "I'm going to wear my dress uniform."

"Good choice, you are damn sexy in that." They continue watching the scene in front of them. Suddenly Cristina sits up and observes Owen. He deliberately keeps his eyes on the wedding party.

"Owen."

"What?"

"You know what you're going to wear to our wedding?"

"Yes."

"We're not engaged."

"I know."

"Have you thought about a wedding?"

"Yes."

She sits silently. He quickly looks at her out of the corner of his eye, and she is puzzled.

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Since I found you on the bathroom floor, holding a pregnancy test."

"That long?"

"Yes."

"You didn't say anything."

"I didn't think the time was right." He turns his head and winks at her.

"But I don't like weddings."

"Look Cristina," he turns and holds her hands. "There's nothing wrong with me thinking about it. It doesn't make me a villain to want to commit myself to you completely. I'm a good guy, I'll actually show up and stay for the whole ceremony."

"That is not funny."

He looks straight at her, with that intensity he has, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I haven't been planning a big fancy wedding, I haven't booked a church or a band or anything. I just – I just think it would be nice if one day, we stood before a justice of the peace, or a rabbi, with our friends and family watching, and pledged that we'll always be there for each other. I'll wear my uniform and look damn sexy in it for you, and you can wear a white dress or a blue dress or scrubs or whatever you want. You will be beautiful no matter what you wear. We'll give each other rings that we picked out together. We can be in a courthouse or a synagogue or a park like this or Disneyland. And we can have caviar or pizza afterwards, no champagne or beer for you in your condition. If you want to wait until after the baby comes so you can drink a whole keg, I'm up for it. And I'm not saying we _have_ to do it, I'm in this until the end of our lives either way, but I think it would make us happy, happier than we already are. We're house-hunting together, we have a child on the way that we are both committed to raising together. Why not fully commit to each other?"

His voice gets low and his eyes grow warm and he moves his face closer. "And I bet if you thought about it too, really thought about it, and forgot about the past, you might think it would be a not horrible thing to do. It might actually be fun. I might actually be a terrific husband but you won't know until you try."

She peers at him as if seeing him for the first time, her lips twitching. "What if I want to wear a clown suit and get married on a roller coaster at Disneyland? What if I want us to wear matching clown suits?"

"Good choice. I look super damn sexy wearing big clown shoes."

She laughs. He smiles and rubs her hands gently. She turns and looks at the wedding party. He watches her curly hair in the breeze, looks at how her skin is glowing, bathed by the afternoon sunlight, and thinks she has never looked more beautiful. Cristina turns again and looks directly at Owen.

"Ask me now."

"Ask you what?"

"Ask me how to do a quadruple bypass with one arm tied behind your back. No, ask me to marry you. _Now_, while I want to say 'yes'."

"Yes ma'am!" He grins and gets down on one knee. "Cristina Yang, you crazy beautiful lady who has seen me in good times and in bad, and who stuck with me anyways and is doing me the honour of having my baby. Will you marry me?"

"_Yes!_"


	20. Month 5

**The 5****th**** Month Before - August**

"Mer, are you – are you okay?" Cristina asks from the other side of the bathroom door. "I'm the bride, I'm supposed to be the one locking myself in there out of nerves."

"Sorry." Meredith comes out of the bathroom, and into her bedroom, looking pale.

Cristina whispers, "Are you okay? I thought I heard puking?"

Meredith hesitates as Cristina's mother looks at her. "Come into the bathroom with me."

"Okay."

They go into the bathroom and speak in whispers.

"Cristina, I'm only telling you so you won't worry about me, and it is our secret so I won't steal your thunder today. I'm pregnant!"

"What? Oh Mer, that's great!" Cristina wraps Meredith in a quick hug.

"Careful, don't crush your flowers."

"Oooops." Cristina smiles. "I can't believe I'm saying this, because this is all warm and fuzzy and I am totally blaming it on the hormones, but this is nice, that we can be pregnant together."

"I won't tell anyone you were warm and fuzzy!" They laugh.

Cristina's mother knocks on the door. "Are you going to be long? The rabbi is ready. And Owen is still here!"

"That is _not_ funny Mom!" Cristina yells as Meredith laughs. They come out of the bathroom. Cristina heads to the mirror to check herself out, making sure her cream dress and jacket didn't get wrinkled and her flowers are uncrushed. She pats her baby bump. She checks her hair – in her one concession to the traditional bridal preparations, she had it professionally styled and pulled back in elaborate curls just for Owen.

"Your hair looks great. How do I look?"

"You'd better refresh your lipstick," Cristina observes. Meredith nods and heads back into the bathroom. Cristina goes to the window and pulls the curtains apart a crack and peeks through. She sees Owen and Derek in the backyard at the makeshift gazebo, chatting with the rabbi. "He does look damn sexy in his uniform," she softly observes.

"He's a good man," Helen says quietly. She sighs and touches Cristina's arm lightly. "Look at you, my beautiful daughter. Glowing with pregnancy and now about to get married. And I thought you didn't like babies or marriage."

"Well, I happen to be crazy about Owen, and I'm sure he will make marriage fun, not scary. And I wouldn't have anyone's baby but his."

"I'm still not sure that I believe the baby was your idea. Or that he got you to marry him at all, let alone so quickly after he proposed."

"He wanted to make sure that _I_ wouldn't change my mind," Cristina laughs softly as she watches the scene in the backyard. She smiles and turns towards her mother. "Although yes, I'm a little surprised he got me to marry him too." She pauses. "Thanks again for dropping everything and arranging the wedding for us. I could never have pulled this together."

Helen smiles and quickly pecks Cristina on the cheek. "Thank you for letting me."

"I'm ready," her matron of honour announces. "We need to get going before the groom does."

"Stop with the jokes already!" Cristina takes another peek through the crack in the curtains, unable to take her eyes off of Owen, waiting for her. Suddenly he looks up, at the window that she is peeking out of. She wonders if his piercing blue gaze can see her – she certainly felt a thrill when he looked her way. She quickly steps away.

"Let's go have a wedding."

**

"So was I right?" Owen asks, kissing the back of Cristina's neck as he unzips the back of her dress, that night in their honeymoon suite.

"Right about what?"

"Was it completely horrible marrying me or did you perhaps enjoy it a little bit?"

"Do you really think I hated it?"

"No, I don't think that." He lightly nips the back of her neck, then tickles her with his beard, and she can feel him smile. "But I wanna hear you say you liked it."

She laughs, steps out of her dress and turns around, drinking in his sexy blue gaze. She caresses his cheekbones – she has always loved his cheekbones – and says, "Thank you for today. It felt … electrifying to exchange vows."

"Electrifying?"

"It's hard to put into words. Electrifying but not terrifying." She kisses him. "Did you have fun?"

"Absolutely. Although I can't wait to get out of this uniform, it's really hot."

"It _is_ hot. But I was kind of hoping you'd leave it on a little longer."

He flashes a delighted grin. "What do you have in mind?"

"We could do it standing up again," she jokes.

"You're heavier now, I'll never – ow!" She pinches him and then tickles him, guiding him onto his back on the bed. Laughing, he offers no resistance. Dressed in her slip, she lies down on top of him and kisses him and works on undoing his shirt.

"You were right, Owen." She smiles tenderly down at him, tugging at her hair so that it tumbles down around her face. "That was a beautiful ceremony, it was very special and unique to us, and I realized that it is important that we said our vows to each other. And I loved the bad-ass reception at Joe's."

He kisses her. "Thank you for marrying me."

"Any time."

She sits up, still straddling him, and pulls off her slip. He places his hands on her belly, gently caressing her baby bump. She moves his hands so he can feel where the baby is doing some light kicking. He looks up at her with an open expression of adoration and … belonging … that she's never seen before. _Now_, she thinks. _We're bound together in the now, more than ever, and I think that I like it._


	21. Month 4

**The 4****th**** Month Before - September**

"Happy Moving Day, Cristina."

"Happy Moving Day, Mer."

The two friends clink their glasses of ginger ale and enjoy the shade. They are sitting in brand new lawn chairs in the Hunts' backyard.

"I'm totally being pregnant if we move again in the future," Cristina says. "Best excuse ever to make the men do all the work." Then she belches.

"Oh that's classy."

"I thought you'd be happy that I am no longer having a perfect pregnancy. I have gas now. And heartburn. And I have a soccer player kicking the crap out of my kidneys from the inside whenever I perform surgery. McBaby gets excited about surgery. Although I'm glad McBaby is showing an interest in that. And my belly is really sticking out now and getting in the way."

"That does make me feel better." Meredith rubs her own belly, slightly swollen. "Look at the two of us, sitting here knocked up while our husbands do all the heavy lifting. When we met, who would have thought that this would happen?"

"Not me."

They take sips.

"Promise me something, Mer."

"What?"

"Once we both have our babies, we're getting dressed up and going out and getting stinking drunk again. We are not going to be dull women who talk about nothing but our kids. Promise me we have drunk dancing in our future."

"I promise."

Owen appears on the deck. "How you ladies doing?"

They hold up their glasses and shout "Refill!" He nods and goes back inside the house.

Meredith says, "Speaking of something we never saw in your future."

"What?"

"Him! Owen! Major McBadAss who didn't just rescue you from an icicle, he rescued you from a life of bitterness and making everything about surgery. Now you're happy!"

Cristina smiles. "I'm still not sure how he got me to marry him though."

"You done good, Cristina."

"Damn straight."


	22. Month 3

**The Third Month Before - October**

Owen gets out of the shower and looks in amazement at Cristina. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"

"I have to pee all the time, it was bound to happen at some time."

"Ha!"

She flushes the toilet. "Why is this a big deal? Why are you happy that you saw me pee?"

"Because I don't want to be shut out of any part of your life, even the normal biological stuff, that's why. It's not something I find sexy, if that's what you're thinking."

"I was starting to wonder." She helps him dry off with a towel.

"Speaking of sexy…"

"Yeah, let's do it before I have to pee again."

"Never mind!"

She smiles and leans in for a kiss. "Hey, sexy guy with blue eyes that drive me wild. Wanna fool around? You can't get me pregnant, I already am."

"That's better."


	23. Month 2

**The 2****nd**** Month Before - November**

"This sucks!" Cristina scowls as Owen gets dressed for work. She's lying in bed wearing the same ratty sweats and baggy t-shirt she wore yesterday and the day before.

Owen hides a grimace by pulling his sweater over his face. Cristina Yang on bed rest is a terror.

"Can't you say anything to me? You get to go to work, you get to cut people open. You know I hate this. Bring me to work with you. Let me watch you cut people open. I'll sit in the gallery and be real quiet."

"You wouldn't know how to be quiet, you'd be barking out suggestions." He leans over and kisses her quickly, then kisses her swollen belly for luck. "I know you hate this. But your blood pressure was getting bad and you have to take it easy. I am not bringing you to work because you'll want to do surgery even more. Why don't you watch some medical shows on TV? There are some pretty gory ones."

"It's not the same! You can't smell an OR through a TV."

"You _like_ the smell of an OR?" He turns away to pull on his shoes.

"Well, I don't think it should be bottled and sold as perfume. But it's real, it reeks of surgery." She sighs. "I hate sitting around and reading about surgeries online, or reading medical journals. I don't want to just read about surgery, I want to feel a scalpel in my hands. I hate this."

"You also hate taking baths and changing your clothes, apparently."

"Oh, go to – go to hell!"

"_What did you say?_" He turns and stares at her. His eyes are narrow ice chips, while hers are open and wide. They both take in deep breaths, for different reasons.

"Oh-god-Owen-I'm-sorry-I-didn't-mean-it," she whispers in a panic.

"Cristina, you meant it. And you know what? I'm really sick of you bitching at me. This is what you signed up for when you decided to get pregnant. You knew the risks, you set yourself up for this. If you can't suck it up and stay off your feet without whining or complaining every fucking second to protect that child you're carrying, you have two choices. Your mother or the hospital."

"Wh-what?"

"I can call your mother and she can fly here and wait on you hand and foot and nag you like she wants to, or you can go on bed rest at the hospital and let the nurses take care of you. Hopefully you'll get some that you haven't been grouchy with. Those are your choices. I'm tired of this shit. Someone else can listen to you whine and complain all day and all night and you can tell the whole damn world to go to hell. _I quit_."

"Owen I'm _sorry!_"

He turns away from her. He speaks in a flat, barely controlled voice. "I'm going to work now. When I get home tonight, you can tell me what your choice is." He stalks out of the room.

* *

Owen comes home late. The only light on is in the living room. He enters the house as quietly as possible, removing his coat and shoes. He pads into the living room and sees Cristina dozing on the couch, covered by a blanket, with a book open on her chest. He notes that her hair is washed and she's wearing different clothes. And her eyes are puffy. He reaches down and gently starts caressing her cheek with his hand.

She wakes instantly, sees him, and whispers, "You came home."

He nods. "Mind if I join you?"

She sits up so he can sit down beside her. She has thought all day about what she has to say. "Owen, I'm so sorry for what I said this morning. That was wrong of me. I will not excuse it on hormones or anything, it was wrong."

He pulls her against him and strokes her hair.

He speaks into her hair. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry that I was an asshole. I felt bad about it all day, and I had a really, really, really shitty day in the ER besides that. Would you rub my temples, please?"

"Of course." She sits up and rubs his temples. She notes that he's having trouble meeting her eyes and it worries her. "I was a good patient today. I only got up to pee or take a bath. The housekeeper made me lunch like you arranged. Oh, and I got up to heat pizza for supper but I sat down while it was in the microwave."

He smiles softly. "Keep rubbing, please."

"If you have time, could you write down a list of your favourite childhood books? I'm going to order copies of mine, and I would like to order yours too, so I can start on the baby's library. That's something I can do without walking or standing."

"That's a good idea."

She takes a deep breath. "I've decided to limit myself to five whines a day."

He chuckles.

"I don't think I can go cold turkey, but I think five is sufficient. I'll try to get them in while you're at work so you don't hear. And I'll take a bath every day so I don't stink, and baths are relaxing. Thank you again for setting up the bathtub with those rails, I felt very safe getting in and out of the tub without you here."

He looks at her then and plays with her hair. His eyes are dark and moody, but he's looking at her.

"A family of five got brought in today. Their minivan hit some black ice and they spun out into traffic. In the space of four hours, the only survivor was the father. And then we lost him too."

She holds his gaze and continues her gentle rubbing. Her eyes do the talking.

"That's why I was late. Not because of what happened this morning. And again, I'm sorry I was an asshole. You don't have to make a choice."

"I choose you, because you are a kind and thoughtful husband, and I will work hard not to be an ungrateful brat," she says softly. He smiles and kisses her.

"I would never hit a woman, much less a pregnant one, but I've been damn tempted to spank you lately. But I am grateful I can come home to you and we can kiss and make up."

"I miss make up sex. Any kind of sex, really."

"Me too."

They laugh.

"So we're good?"

His eyes have mellowed into a warm blue. "We're good."


	24. The Last Month

**The Last Month Before - December**

_Christmas morning. _

They wake up tangled in the sheets and around each other.

"Anything?"

"Nope. Just the usual moving around in there."

Owen sighs and rubs her belly, then speaks to it. "Hey McBaby. It's okay to come out now. You've got presents waiting for you in the living room, from your grandparents, and Uncle Derek and Aunt Meredith, and everybody in the ER."

"And a bunch from Daddy. McBaby's being smart. You get cheated out of gifts if you have a Christmas birthday."

Owen leans closer to her belly. "Daddy will buy you extra presents if you come out today. Each and every Christmas."

Cristina ruffles his red hair and they lie there in silence. He watches her stomach, as if he's willing it to go into labour. Presently she says, "I wish my father were alive for this. He always knew exactly what to give me for my presents, stuff that I liked and used, nothing frivolous or pink. He'd really spoil and love McBaby if he were here today."

Owen turns over to look at her and they share moments where words are not necessary.

_New Year's Eve_

"This really isn't how I expected to toast the New Year," Cristina says, indicating her glass of milk. "I miss beer."

Meredith laughs and clinks her glass against Cristina's. "Mmmm, calcium. It's good for McBaby!"

"McBaby doesn't need any more calcium. McBaby needs to come out now."

"Poor Cristina. That baby is going to be an intern and still stuck in your uterus."

"And I'll still be on bed rest!" She sighs. "Well, thanks for coming over to spend the night with us, because God forbid I go anywhere but the hospital for check-ups."

Meredith smiles. "Come on, we're going to have fun tonight. We'll play poker once Robbie goes to bed."

"We should play strip poker. Then everyone will let me win, because I am so disgustingly huge right now that nobody wants to see me naked."

"Cristina, I think that was your fifth whine."

"Aw damn it. Hey,_ I_ never told you about that!"

"Here come my guys!"

Derek carries a freshly bathed Robbie in to the living room to say his good nights. Meredith kisses him soundly and says, "I think Auntie Cristina needs a _big_ hug and a kiss tonight, Robbie."

Robbie obediently climbs on the couch besides Cristina and wraps his little arms around her neck, kissing her on the cheek with a loud smack. Cristina smiles and kisses him back. "G'night kiddo."

"Night!"

Derek carries Robbie off to the guest bedroom, while Owen comes in from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of chips. "You ladies need a refill?"

"Not yet."

"Owen," Cristina asks innocently. "How did Meredith know I can only whine five times a day?"

Caught off-guard, Owen flushes and grins as Meredith bursts out laughing. He is saved by his pager, which goes off. He stops smiling and frowns as he looks at it. "Gas tank explosion. Gotta go." He peers at Cristina, who is rubbing her belly.

"Are you having contractions now?"

"It's just Braxton-Hicks again. Don't worry about me, go save lives."

"We're here for the night, we'll bring her to the hospital if anything happens," Meredith promises him. Owen nods his thanks, then leans down and kisses his wife before leaving.


	25. The Now

**The Now**

_1:00 am, January 1._

"Mer?"

Meredith wakes up from a light sleep in the guest bedroom, her husband and son sleeping soundly beside her. Cristina is leaning over her, gently shaking her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she whispers.

"Mer, my water just broke."

"Yay!"

"Ugh!"

"Sorry. How far apart are the contractions?"

"Ten minutes. And they're starting to hurt."

"You didn't wake me before?"

"I thought they were Braxton-Hicks!" Cristina sighs. "At least I'm not one of those women who come into the hospital for every single twinge."

Meredith sits up and smiles. "You certainly aren't. I'll call Lexie and see if we can drop Robbie off. At the very least, Derek can drive you to the hospital."

"_You're_ my person, _you're_ coming with me. Auntie Meredith has to be there."

"Yay, I'm going to be Auntie Meredith!"

"Yay."

"Aren't you excited?"

"I'm scared."

"Need a hug?"

"You sound like whats-her-name. Sydney."

"Take that back!"

Their laughter wakes up Derek. He sleepily rubs his face and looks at Cristina. "You had better be having a baby today, waking me up in the middle of the night."

"I'm having a baby today, Uncle Derek."

"Uncle Derek is getting up."

**

"The baby decided to appear in a hurry," Dr Miranda Bailey notes. "You're dilated six centimetres already."

"That's okay, though? It's not coming too fast, is it?"

"No, Dr Yang, the baby is not in danger, and neither are you. You still have hours to go," Dr Bailey smiles. "Do you want us to page your husband now?"

"Not yet."

Dr Bailey nods. "Those people got hurt by flying glass and debris, and Dr Hunt is our best surgeon for that kind of injury. He took on the worst case himself."

"And Derek is going to help out in the ER, so he can tell Owen when he gets out of surgery," Meredith adds.

"So if I'm not going to have the baby right now, let him stay focused on the surgery. Nobody says a word to anybody!"

"Cristina, the news is already swirling around Seattle Grace. But nobody will tell Owen."

Miranda finishes making notes on Cristina's chart.

"Thanks again for doing this, Miranda," Cristina says, a bit shyly. "I know delivering babies isn't your specialty –"

"- but every department is short-staffed tonight and we're all pitching in where we're needed. Except for you two, you two stay put."

Miranda pats Cristina's hand. "It's going to be all right. And nobody gets to deliver Owen Hunt's and Cristina Yang's baby but me."

**

Dr Owen Hunt works steadily on a security guard who was behind a glass window at the wrong time. He barely notices that some of the nurses swap out as the surgery progresses; he keeps his attention on his patient. He is blissfully unaware that he is one of the few people in the room who doesn't know that his wife is in labour. Concentrating, he doesn't know that Derek Shepherd is watching and waiting for him through the window of the scrub room.

**

Dr Bailey finishes her exam. "You're at 10 centimetres and the baby is in position. It's pushing time."

"No!" Cristina protests. "Owen will be upset if he misses the baby being born!"

"Cristina!" Meredith says. "The baby isn't going to pop out with the first push. There's still time."

"How do you know that? How?"

Dr Bailey sighs and speaks to an intern. "Page Dr Shepherd and tell him that Dr Yang is starting to push. Dr James has been assisting Dr Hunt for the last two hours and she should be able to take over."

"No! Don't tell Owen!"

"Go!" Meredith tells the intern, who quickly makes his escape.

"Cristina Yang," Miranda Bailey continues. She looks her patient in the eyes, not unkindly. "The baby is not going to 'pop out' in a couple of minutes. But it is ready to be born. Owen is an excellent surgeon and it speaks well of you of that you want his patient to receive the best care and you don't want to distract him. But from what Derek has relayed to us, they've taken care of the worst injuries, and the patient is going to live, thanks to your husband. It's time for you to push and it's time for Owen to be here with you."

Cristina pouts for a second, then struggles to get into position, with Meredith's help. "Okay. Let's do this. I'm sick of being pregnant anyways."

**

Dr James is called away from the surgery table. Dr Hunt is not concerned, he is just starting to close up. Dr James reappears. "Dr Hunt, you've been working on this patient for hours. May I suggest that you let me close up?"

Owen pauses and looks up at the clock. Dr James is very capable and he suddenly realizes how tired he is. He could nap for a couple of hours and then check on Cristina. "Very well, please close up the patient. Thank you." He wonders why some of the nurses giggle and nudge each other, as if they know something he doesn't. Surgery is not funny.

He gets out of surgery to find Derek waiting for him, smiling broadly.

"Cristina wouldn't let anyone page you while you were working on the patient," Derek grins.

"She's in labour?" Owen gasps, trying to remove his gloves and his surgical gown at the same time and getting tangled.

"Is she ever. She just started pushing, Meredith is with her," Derek laughs, grasping Owen's shoulders in a brief fraternal gesture before reaching behind to help him untie the surgical gown.

Owen rushes to Cristina's room, where she's snapping at everyone and Meredith is rolling her eyes. Cristina looks up and when she sees him, she visibly relaxes, and so does everyone else. He climbs onto the birthing bed, behind her, and whispers "Hi beautiful" in her ear.

**

"Oh my god, how much longer?"

Owen rubs Cristina's shoulders. "Just a few more pushes. You're doing great."

She pushes, then leans back against him.

"What was I thinking when I got pregnant?"

"You were thinking it would be fun to do it standing up."

She bursts out laughing, as does Meredith and the nurses.

"What _I_ am thinking," Miranda grumbles from between her legs, "is that you need to push again."

"Yes Miranda!" She pushes.

"Goooood, good, good, well done."

"Ugh!"

"One more. The head is almost here."

Cristina screws up her face and pushes again, as Owen and Meredith encourage her.

"Annnnnd, look, the head is here!"

Cristina and Owen look at the mirror. "That's our baby's head! Look!"

"PUSH!"

Cristina pushes. Her eyes screwed shut, she misses seeing the baby slide out in the mirror, but she opens them quickly and hears a frail cry. Miranda holds the baby up.

"It's a girl, Owen, look! It's our girl!"

**

Now it's just the three of them in the hospital room. Owen's holding their sleeping daughter and marvelling at her damp, black curly hair. Cristina watches him with a contented look. "She's perfect, isn't she?"

"Just like her mother." He gently kisses their baby's forehead before handing her back to Cristina. Then he tilts Cristina's face towards his and kisses her. "Thank you," he whispers.

"You've very welcome," she whispers back. "Look at those hands! Those are the hands of a surgeon. They could be the hands of something else if that is what Chloe wants, but they are definitely the hands of a surgeon."

"They're cute too, don't you think?"

"I don't do -." Cristina pauses and smiles. "Well, perhaps, I _could_ do cute. A little bit. For her. I mean, look at her tiny fingernails. They're cute. She's cute!"

She looks up at Owen, and he's looking at her with that understanding smile, the same look he gave her after he kissed her for the first time. She smiles back. No words are necessary.

Chloe gives a little murmur and stirs in her arms. Cristina looks down at her. "Look at what we made together."


End file.
